1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an attachment element for securing a foot, e.g., of a guide rail and including a base having a bearing surface, a clamping member, and a ball which extends through a through-bore formed in the clamping member and an axis of which extends transverse to the bearing surface of the base, and has a connection member.
2. Description of the Prior Art
German Publication DE-33 44 064 discloses an attachment element having a base, a clamping member, a ball, and a connection member connected with the ball. The base lies on a base plate and is secured thereto with two screws. The base plate itself lies on an upper surface of a component. At each of its sides, which lie opposite the bearing surface, the base plate has a projection having a semi-spherical receiving opening an outer thread provided on its outer profile. The outer thread of the projection formlockingly cooperates with an inner thread provided in the clamping member. The clamping member has a disc-shaped bearing element the through-bore of which has a geometry corresponding to the outer profile of the ball. The ball is received in a receiving opening of the base and is fixedly secured by the bearing element upon rotation of the clamping member relative to the base.
A connection member projects from the ball in a direction remote from the bearing surface of the base. The connection member is formed as a threaded bolt projecting into a corresponding threaded opening in the end surface of a guide rail.
With the attachment element disclosed in DE-33 44 064, rotation of the guide rail in a plane that extends parallel to or is inclined relative to a plane, in which the bearing surface of the base is located, is only then possible when the clamping connection between the ball, the base, and the clamping member is broken. In this case, the ball can be freely rotated or pivoted relative to the base and/or clamping member.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an attachment element with which a guide rail securable on the connection member can pivot in a plane, which extends parallel to or at angle to a plane in which the bearing surface of the base extends, without loosing the previously established alignment or inclination of the connection member with respect to the bearing surface of the base.
This and other objects of the present invention, which become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by providing an attachment element including a base having a bearing surface, a clamping member, and a ball extending through a through-bore formed in the clamping member an axis of which extends transverse to the bearing surface. The ball has a connection member and a counter-support. The connection member is adapted to rotate relative to the ball and has at its region adjacent to the base, a bearing element projecting into the counter-support.
The present invention insures that, on one hand, the ball with the connection member can be fixedly secured and, on the other hand, the connection member, despite the ball being secured, can rotate relative to the ball. In this way, it is achieved that the guide rail, which is connected with the connection member, can pivot in a plane that extends parallel to or at an angle to a plane formed by the base bearing surface, without the connection between the ball, the clamping member, and the base being broken.
For manufacturing reasons, advantageously, the bearing element is formed as a substantially cylindrical section, and the counter-support is formed as a substantially cylindrical bore.
In order to provide for rapid connection between the connection member and, e.g., a guide rail, the connection member can be provided, at its end opposite the bearing element, with an eccentric the eccentric cross-sectional surface of which extends transverse to the axis of the bearing element.
In order to be able to achieve a clamping connection between the eccentric and, e.g., a guide rail with a small force, preferably, the connection member is provided with a sidewise projecting pivot lever which is fixedly connected with the connection member and has one of its end arranged between the bearing element and the eccentric.
In order to be able to lock the eccentric to a structural part, in particular, a guide rail, and/or constructional component advantageously, the free end of the lever is bent in a direction away from the base and parallel to the axis of the bearing element. The free end is provided with a locking profile formlockingly cooperating with the constructional component or the guide rail. In order to be able to achieve a resilient behavior of the pivot lever which is important for formlockingly connecting the free bent-out end of the lever with the constructional component or the guide rail upon locking of the eccentric, advantageously, the free end of the pivot lever projects beyond the outer profile of the base.
For a perpendicular alignment of the bearing support relative a plane formed by the bearing surface of the base, preferably the ball has, in a plane that extends perpendicular to an axis of the counter support and in which a ball diameter is largest, a groove formed in an outer profile of the ball and in which a pivot axle of the base which is arranged substantially tangentially to the groove, is displaceable. The pivot axle, in this way, insures fixing of the ball with respect to the base and the clamping member.
The region of the pivot axle, which projects into the groove, has a side recess. Upon rotation of the axle, the recess become aligned with the groove, and the axle does not project any more into the groove. In this way, the ball ban be pivoted into a position in which the axis of the counter-support does not extend any more perpendicular to the plane formed by bearing surfaces.
The novel features of the present invention, which are considered as characteristic for the invention, are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional advantages and objects thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.